Two Races In - Red Bull Swaps Lawson for Tsunoda

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Twenty-three-year-old New Zealander Liam Lawson competed in his first official race on March 15 in the infamous black and red colors of Red Bull Racing. Just two weeks later, he was axed. 

Red Bull made the brutal call after a recent meeting addressing the underwhelming performance of the second seat before the 2025 season’s third fixture. Liam Lawson competed in just two weeks in his short tenure in the senior team, originally chosen ahead of 24-year-old Yuki Tsunoda.

Lawson’s Australian DNF was followed by 12th place in the Chinese Grand Prix. The zero points he accumulated in his first two races were enough to swap Tsunoda, who finished 12th and 16th, respectively, with the inferior build of the Racing Bull’s car. 

Lawson’s future remains uncertain, with questions about where he will continue his aspirations. It seems, for now, that the door has almost closed for his return to Red Bull.

The Japanese talent spent four full seasons as a part of the junior Red Bull team, at last finding himself in that coveted second spot for Red Bull. Tsunoda’s debut, fittingly in Japan, will be highly anticipated, and his resolve will be tested under the brightest lights. Red Bull’s reputation for bold moves will bring Yuki’s performance under great scrutiny in the coming races.